The Community Alliance of St. Joseph released its 2018 Community Survey last summer with positive results for Missouri Western.

One of the notable positive increases was in response to the following question: “Missouri Western is moving in the right direction.” In the 2016 survey, 62 percent of the responses were “strongly agree” or “agree” (excluding those who responded “don’t know”). In the 2018 survey, 72 percent of the responses were “strongly agree” or “agree,” a 10 percent increase.

Residents were also asked about 19 different quality of life issues in St. Joseph and Buchanan County, and whether their needs were being met in those areas. Of those issues, “access to higher education” had the highest favorable rating, with about 87 percent (excluding those who answered “don’t know”) saying that their needs for access to higher education are being met. In addition, 87 percent said access to higher education was very important or somewhat important as a reason to live in St. Joseph and Buchanan County.

The survey is administered by the ETC Institute in Olathe, Kansas. The response rate generated a 95 percent level of confidence, statistically speaking.